Brewery Frequently Asked Questions

Dogfish Head? Where did that come from?
Believe it or not, our namesake is a place - a place that’s very near and dear to our founder and president Sam Calagione’s heart ... Dogfish Head, Maine! 

Do you have food at the brewery?
We’re so excited to answer that question - yes! Not just any food ... beer-centric food. Our Milton Brewery serves up delectable treats that pair perfectly with our off-centered ales. Click here to learn more!

Do you do growler / crowler fills at the brewery?
We would love to send you home with some of our beer! Buy ours...bring yours.... we will fill it!

I want to take a tour of the brewery - Can I? Can I?
We sure do! Check the tours page for info.

Are you dog-friendly? 
Four-legged friends are welcome outside at our Milton Brewery, but not inside the brewery, merch shop or on brewery tours, because … ya know, health codes and stuff.

Can we bring someone who is under 21? 
You sure can! Our guests under 21 are welcomed at our indoor/outdoor tables and merchandise shop, but the bar is off-limits! 

Can I have a private event at the Milton Brewery?  
We’d love that! Shoot us an email at tours@dogfish.com so we can hook it up! 

Do you offer curbside pick-up? 
We sure do! Our Milton Brewery offers curbside pick-up Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 7 p.m. Folks can choose from a slew of our pre-packaged beer and spirits, our off-centered eats, as well as growlers and crowlers fills of our draft beers. Click here to place an order

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Beer Frequently Asked Questions

I have allergies ... can I still drink Dogfish Head beer?

We often get questions about allergies, special diets and more in relation to our beers. We can’t always answer specifics, but we can give you some of our most talked about allergies…

Our beers that DO contain wheat as a recipe ingredient…

Festina Pêche
SeaQuench Ale
Slightly Mighty

The following beers contain ingredients you may wish to know…

Punkin Ale: Pumpkin
SeaQuench Ale: Salt, Lime juice, Black Limes
Slightly Mighty: Oats

We also have beers containing dextrose, a corn derived sugar…

120 Minute IPA
World Wide Stout

I see you have an “Ageable Ales” series—what in the world? When it comes to aging beer, it's all about will power and preference! Certain beers will always age slightly better than others. There are people who can’t wait 5 minutes to drink the beer and there are others who wait 5 years. We have a selection of beers just dying for you hold on to them - 120 Minute, Fruitfull Fort, and World Wide Stout. Their higher ABV allows them to stand the test of time. There’s no rule that says you have to hold on to ‘em, but we like to think it’s a fun little experiment. Follow us here for a few more tips about hanging on to these brews.

I’m gluten free—whatcha got?
We used to proudly answer, “Tweason’ale!” Unfortunately, this one isn’t on the release calendar and we’re not exactly sure just when we’ll be bringing it back. So for now, we’ve got nothin’. 

Is there a "best by" freshness date on your packages?
Yes, there is - as of 11/01/2020! Check out the neck on the bottle or bottom of the can for a Best By date. As a guide, we recommend enjoying our lower ABV (alcohol by volume) beers (5-9%) within 3-6 months of bottling. The higher ABV beers (10+%) are ideal for aging, if you enjoy the mellowing characteristics aging can lend a high ABV beer.

Exporting-- do you do it?!
So you’re looking for some DFH. Well, unfortunately, at this time we do not export any of our beer. We know it’s hard to hear, it’s hard to say! Our demand is so far in front of our supply that right now we need all the beer we are brewing for the U.S. market. Some day … we hope.

Can you please, please, please ship me beer?
Ship beer you say? Unfortunately, due to federal law we cannot ship to individuals, however, there are some online distributors that carry our products - (www.halftimebeverage.com), and countless others. We are not affiliated with them and it does vary state by state (not sure about country), but you may be able to find what you’re looking for. Good luck with your search and keep drinking the good stuff!

I can’t get Dogfish in (insert your state here)…any plans to change that?
You can currently find our beer in all 50 states!! Check out the Fish Finder at www.dogfish.com (you can search for our beers by zip code) to bring up all retailers in your area. Boom, instant access to DFH!

When is (insert favorite beer) going to be released? I need it, seriously.
We’ve got a handy lil' release calendar just waiting to fill you in. It’s difficult for us to dial in exact dates, but the release calendar will at least you know the month - it’s a start!

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Store Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t see any beer in your online store—what gives?
Sadly, due to federal laws we’re not allowed—bummer, we know.

I want to return/exchange merchandise I ordered from you—help!
No worries, we can certainly make that happen! Just fill out the return/exchange form, pack it up, send it back, and we’ll take it from there. Don’t have a copy of the return/exchange form? Shoot us an email at orders@dogfish.com. A couple things to keep in mind though - all products must be returned in their original condition: unworn, unwashed and with a copy of the invoice and reason for return included within 30 days.

I just placed my order but forgot something, am I still able to add it?
We try to make this happen when we can. Unfortunately, there’s just no way to guarantee it. There are times when we’re inundated with a lot of these requests and we still have a relatively analog approach to our shipping. Best bet is to email orders@dogfish.com and see if it’s a possibility. If it’s not, can we still be friends?

I just got my order and something is broken/missing/wrong—now what?
First of all - yikes! Sorry about that! Secondly, send us a little message at orders@dogfish.com with your order number and a synopsis of what the dealio is. Cool?

Gift card shipping fee—are you for real?!
We know, we know. Unfortunately, we are passing on our UPS standard costs and we use UPS to ensure it makes it to you safely. If you’d like to take a chance, we can certainly send it to you through USPS, but if it gets lost, damaged or stolen, we cannot replace or refund it. If that’s what you would prefer, shoot us an email at orders@dogfish.com.

You’re out of my size and/or the item I want, when will you be getting it back in stock?
We do our very best to let you know when something is coming back, but we’re not perfect…yet.  If there is mention of an item retiring on the product page, sadly, it ain’t coming back.  If there’s no mention you can take comfort in knowing that it’s on order.  We may not be able to give an exact backorder date, but rest assured it’s in the works!

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EmPOURium Frequently Asked Questions

Uh ... so, what exactly is the Dogfish Head emPOURium? 
The emPOURium is our off-centered merchandise and beer shop – conveniently located in between Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats and Chesapeake & Maine!  

Whatcha got in there? 
Everything! Well ... almost. Pretty much anything that you can find in our online store is available at our emPOURium. Because we’ve only got so much room, quantities may be slightly more limited, but it’s there! Oh yeah, did we mention you can also purchase beer and& spirits in there as well? We didn’t? Well, you can. Let’s get shopping! 

What are the hours for the Dogfish Head emPOURium?  
Our emPOURium is open daily for in-store service and curbside pick-up from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Mon.-Thurs.), 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Sun.). For our most up-to-date hours, visit https://www.dogfish.com/visit

Curbside pick-up, eh? Tell me more! 
We’re proud to say that our curbside pick-up process is completely touchless! Folks will place and pay for all curbside pick-up orders through our online ordering platform – www.dogfish.com/order-from-rehoboth-online. Within that platform, you will also be asked to enter your vehicle’s information. Outside the emPOURium, we will have two parking spaces reserved for curbside pick-up. Upon your arrival, please pop your trunk and have your ID ready – a co-worker will bring your order to your car, check your ID through the window and place your purchases directly in your trunk. Yeah, it’s really that easy. 

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Brewpub Frequently Asked Questions

My band and I want to play at the brewpub ... please!?
We're constantly looking for new bands to storm the stage.  Shoot us an email at dogfishhead.musicbooking@dogfish.com and we'll get the conversation rolling!

Do you take reservations?
Sorry, we don't take reservations!

What hours are you open?
We're open every day from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.! The only time we shut her down is… Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Christmas Eve - close at 4PM, the Tuesday after Labor Day, Beer & Benevolence Day (TBD) and the evening of our annual holiday PARTAY (TBD) - close at 4PM.

I want to have a special event at DFH, is that possible?
Is that possible?  Pffffft—we’d love to be a part of your special moment!  We’ve got a great upstairs area just dying to show you everything it has to offer.  Shoot us an email at BrewpubEvents@dogfish.com to get cracking.

What do you have on tap?
Funny you should ask—we happen to have a handy dandy list available.  Follow us here…

Can I purchase merchandise at the brewpub?
You betcha!  Most everything you see in our online store is available at our Off-Centered emPOURium (located between Brewings & Eats and Chesapeake & Maine).  Because we’ve only got so much room, quantities may be slightly more limited, but it’s there!  Oh yeah, did we mention you can also purchase beer & spirits (in the emPOURium or from the comfort of your table)? We didn’t? Well, you can. Let’s get shopping!

Live music, what’s the deal with that?
It’s true, we have live music every Friday and Saturday night, year round.  And, even better, it’s free (unless otherwise noted).  You certainly don’t have to be 21 to enjoy the show, however, the bar is off limits—we mean it!  If you’re wondering what gigs are coming to town, we have a posting right up your alley…

Can I bring my stroller into the restaurant?
As much as we love when our little off-centered fans come to see us, we do have a strict no stroller policy within the restaurant. Due to safety reasons (both for our guests and co-workers), we need to ensure that all aisles and exits are clear at all times. Our team is happy to help you find a place outside to store your stroller during your visit, but unfortunately we cannot allow them inside the building.

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Chesapeake & Maine Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chesapeake & Maine open? 
Open from 4-9 p.m., 5 days a week (Closed on Sundays & Mondays), for reduced capacity indoor/outdoor seating! Reservations aren't required, but they are recommended - give us a jingle at 302-226-3600 to make your reservation! Check out our seasonal specials & learn more here.

Reservation Policy
Do we take reservations? Heck yeah! We accept reservations 30 days in advance for inside dining only. Patio reservations are available but are only taken the day of and weather permitting*. A credit card is required to hold your reservation due to no-shows and last-minute cancellations. Any cancellations or no-shows within 24 hours of the reservation, will be charged $20 per person.
*If the weather happens to turn bad, we may not have a table available for inside dining, but we will do our very best to accommodate.

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Inn Frequently Asked Questions

Is there parking on-site?  
Yes! We have one parking space per room, plus one ADA accessible spot. If you are coming with more than one car, just let us know and we’ll help direct you to where you can park your extra vehicles! 

Where’s the closest place to buy our favorite Dogfish Head beverage? 
While we don’t sell or serve alcohol on the property, there are plenty of places within walking distance to find our off-centered ales and spirits. Nearly all the restaurants in downtown Lewes serve Dogfish Head beers and spirits and our friends over at R&L Liquors on 2nd Street carry a large variety of our products! You’ll definitely want to make a trip to Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats in Rehoboth Beach and our Tasting Room & Kitchen in Milton where you’ll be able to sample and purchase the widest variety of our off-centered ales and exclusive brews! 

How close are the other DFH properties and do you offer a shuttle?   
The Dogfish Head Brewery is in Milton, DE, which is about a 20 minute drive from the Dogfish Inn. Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, Chesapeake & Maine, and the Dogfish Head emPOURium all share the same location in Rehoboth Beach, about 15 minutes/7 miles south of the Inn. The various locations around the region give you plenty of opportunity to explore all that coastal Delaware has to offer! While we aren’t offering shuttle service to the other locations at this time, Uber and LYFT are available in the area.  
 
Are you pet friendly?  
Our first-floor rooms are dog friendly with advance notice. If you’d like to bring your pup, please call us at 302-644-8292 to ensure we have a first-floor room available. Pets are not allowed in the Cottage Sweet or Super Sweet.  
 
Are you open year-round and are there things for me to do in the off-season?  
Yes, not only are we open year-round, but so are our other Dogfish Head locations. Coastal Delaware always has something to offer, not just for the beaches! Even in the coldest months there are still museums to visit, nature trails to explore, seasonal specials at the local restaurants, small business and outlet shopping, and plenty more!  

How close is the beach?  
We’re located in coastal Delaware, so there’s no shortage of beaches for you to explore. The closest is Lewes Beach, just a half mile from the INN; it’s located on Lewes Bay and is a great beach for families with young children who don’t want to worry about waves. Also nearby is Cape Henlopen State Park, which is 2 miles from the INN; you’ll find bay and ocean beaches there, as well as walking and biking trails, a disc golf course, a nature center, historical sites, and more.  
 
Are you wheelchair-accessible? 
Yes! We have one accessible parking spot, and one first floor room that is wheelchair/ADA compliant. We have a ramp available to assist with getting over the threshold into the room, and the bathroom is equipped with the necessary bars and a roll-in shower. Please note, our beds are on a raised wooden platform.  

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Company Frequently Asked Questions

Beer & Benevolence
Hey DFH, won’t you donate or sponsor our cause?

Thinking DFH would make the perfect donation or sponsor? Well, we just may be able to help out! Check out our Beer & Benevolence page for full details.. Once you submit your request, we’ll be one step closer to a magical partnership - cheers!

Careers/Internships
I want to work at Dogfish Head!

Oh boy, we’re happy to hear it! We’re constantly updating our job postings. We’d love it if you took a look at them - it could be the beginning of something beautiful.

I want to be a Brewmaster, what do I need to do?
Hmmm, where to start? The first place is a formal education. Typically we find people with either life science type or engineering degrees. Many of our new brewers not only have those types of degrees, but they’ve also completed a formal brew-centric education through the University of Davis, Siebel Institute of Technology or the American Brewers Guild. Another way is via a non-paid apprenticeship at a local brewery. A recently hired brewer worked at a small brewery, scrubbing kegs, packaging bottles, cleaning and eventually brewing. It isn’t that uncommon that very small breweries and pubs will offer these type of arrangements while they are in the growing stage and don’t need full time people. Most important piece of the journey - be patient and humble. It doesn’t happen for many overnight!

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Still have a question for us after all that?! No worries, we got you. You can drop us a note and our team will get back to you as quickly as possible!

Contact Dogfish Head